By Own Correspondent| Social Welfare Minister Paul Mavima has said allowing returning citizens with money to chose quarantine facilities of their choice was not an admission of failure.

Speaking during a post cabinet media briefing Tuesday evening, Mavima said the decision to open up to those with own money was in response to those who offered to pay for better accommodation.

“We have not lacked resources to look after them, in terms of food and other provisions that they need,” Mavima said.

“There are returnees who are saying we do not want to be in public facilities, we would rather pay and be in more comfortable facilities.

“You will realise cabinet has said if there are those people who want to pay, we should set up those private facilities.

“You have to understand that there are some citizens who could not pay for themselves so the state has to continue providing for them and we can assure the state has resources to look after them,” said Mavima.

Over 3 000 Zimbabweans have since returned into the country since the outbreak of the deadly pandemic in March this year.